Pans are measured according to the diameter of the lip, not the diameter of the cooking surface. Most home burners can only comfortably fit a pan of around 12 inches in diameter. Because of its straight sides, a 12-inch sauté pan will also have a large, 12-inch-wide cooking surface (about 113 square inches). A skillet, on the other hand, loses at least an inch on each side, making the effective cooking area only 10 inches wide (about 79 square inches). This means that, given a skillet and a sauté pan of equal diameter, the skillet will have 30% less cooking area than the sauté pan. That's not an insignificant amount.

While they both look almost identical, frypans and skillets each have their own roles to play in the kitchen. Frypans are best used for foods that require lower heat such as eggs, pancakes, and the ever delicate fish. This is because the frypan’s curved edge makes it easier to maneuver the ingredients as you cook.

Copper core frying pans have a copper exterior for excellent heat conductivity and a stainless steel interior for durability and easy cleaning. They are ideal for cooking high-heat dishes, sauces, and eggs. However, they are expensive and prone to discolouration with prolonged use.